This article was written by Karen Lange for National Geographic News on February 5, 2009. It is about the town of Belefanai, in north-central Liberia, and their plight with Achaea catocaloides, a species of caterpillar.
The water supply in Belefanai was affected heavily by the feces of this insect, making it dark in color and undrinkable. Not only did these caterpillars have an effect on the water supply, they also ate and destroyed the towns’ cash crops and food supply. People decided to flee the town and left their infested homes in January when the invasion became unbearable. Over an estimated half million villagers have been affected which encouraged the government in Liberia to declare a state of emergency against these insects.
Researchers are hoping that the epidemic will end when the rainy season arrives, considering the fact that these creatures thrive in the dry season. Aerial spraying is an option being measured, but infestations of the Achaea catocaloides are such an exceptional occurrence that it has not yet been proven how to safely kill the insects without affecting other animals and people.
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